"But is [Lester's comment] a prediction, a guarantee, or any kind of promise? No, it is not. If we win, Lester says. We should beat both teams, he claims. If and should do not mean the same thing as when and will. (snip)

It's the mainstream media's job to take athletes' quotes and stretch their meanings beyond the breaking point of truth in the exalted holy name of Hype. I suggest you let them handle it."

Well sir, I would like to defend myself. Ladies and gentlemen, I'll be brief.

The issue here is not whether we broke a few rules of journalistic integrity or took liberties with the English language.

We did.

But if a blogger can't make hyperbolic and barely substantiated claims against his rivals while posting in his boxer shorts and drinking bourbon by the fist full, then haven't the terrorists already won?

And furthermore, you can't hold one blog responsible for the collapse of the integrity of the entire blogosphere. Why if you do, shouldn't we also blame the entire Internet?

And if the entire Internet is to blame, then isn't this an indictment of our American society in general?

I put that to you Jerry Hinnen. You can question my blog, but I won't sit here and read your comments bad mouthing the United States of America.

You got it all wrong guys. Lester wasn't referring to the Dawgs - that was taken out of context. He was talking about UT-Martin.

What he actually said:

“I have no doubt in my mind,” Lester said. “We should beat UT-Martin by a good amount of points. I feel real good about it. Georgia, on the other hand, I'm calling in sick for that one. That Stafford guy is real good.”

"Don't write this down, but I find Hinnen probably as boring as you find Hinnen. Mrs. Hinnen found him boring too. He's a little bit long-winded, he doesn't translate very well into our generation, and his jokes are terrible."